Aer Lingus has offered a 4pc pay rise to ground staff and cabin crew, following a previous 12.25pc increase. The proposal, backed by Siptu, Fórsa, and Unite, will now go to a ballot among staff.
The new pay deal, extending the current agreement to the end of 2026, includes a 3pc rise or €960 (whichever is greater) from January 2026, and a further 1pc or €320 from July 2026.
The offer is contingent on work practice changes, many of which are already implemented, in exchange for operational efficiencies.
The pay rise follows a clause in previous agreements allowing staff to seek increases if another group, like pilots, secures a better deal. A 17.5pc pilots’ agreement from 2024 involved an 30pc increase in working hours on short haul flights to enable Aer Lingus compete with Ryanair.
Aer Lingus shared: “This is in recognition of the operational efficiencies and the cooperation experienced during the lifetime of the current pay agreement. The continued cooperation experienced, in line with the core principles of our existing collective agreements. remain important pillars regarding any 2026 pay agreement.”
